Table Of Content

) J 363% my 1994 ANNUAL REPORT Town of Bethlehem, New Hampshire 6S£ 1994 ANNUAL REPORT Town of Bethlehem, New Hampshire Memory In of Dr. Mortimer Fisch Dr. Mortimer Fisch, "Mori" to his many friends, retired to Bethlehemfrom New York in 197A. For 18 years he was a member of the Board ofTrustees ofthe Bethlehem Public Library, most of that time serving as chairman. He presented programs on noted authors during the summer and he and his beloved wife of 53 years, Adele, worked diligentlyonthe annual booksales. HewasavolunteerattheLittletonRegional Hospital, in charge of the book cart and he was a volunteer tax preparer. He was president of the Bethlehem Hebrew Con- gregation, keeping in touch with summer residents duringthewintermonths. Mostofall, hewas awarmoutgoinghuman being who loved his adopted community. We are allricherforhavingknownhim. ANNUAL REPORT BETHLEHEM, NH and BETHLEHEM VILLAGE DISTRICT DECEMBER for the year ending 31, 1994 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1995 Warrant Center Budget Section Town Officers 2 Resultsof 1994Warrant 4 StatementofLongTerm Indebtedness 14 Annual MaturitiesofOutstandingLongTerm Notesand Bonds 14 ReconciliationofOutstandingLongTerm Indebtedness 14 ScheduleofTown Property 15 Summary- InventoryofValuation 17 TaxRateper$1,000 17 TownClerk's Report 18 Tax Collector 19 Revenues- Detailed Statement 21 Expenditures- Detailed Statement 23 Town Employees 30 VolunteerFiremen 32 VolunteerAmbulanceAttendants 33 TrustFunds 34 Bethlehem Village DistrictReport- Officers 35 1995 DistrictWarrant 36 Resultsof 1994 DistrictWarrant 38 ResponsetoAudit 40 DistrictAppropriations & Expenditures 41 DistrictReceipts 43 DistrictDetailed StatementofPayments 44 Sewer Department 50 Water Department 54 Library 56 Selectmens' Report 57 Planning/ZoningBoard 59 RevolvingLoan Fund 61 Conservation Commission Report 62 ChamberofCommerce 63 Little LeagueCommission Report 64 Animal Control Officer'sReport 65 ForestFireWarden 66 N.H. Executive Council 67 Grafton CountyCommissioners'Report 68 North CountryCouncil 70 Grafton County Senior CitizensCouncil 71 Tri-CountyCommunityAction 72 North Country Home Health Agency 74 Hospiceofthe Littleton Area 75 Vital Statistics 76 PrintedattheHarrisonPublishingHouse-Littleton;NewHampshire TOWN OFFICERS Board of Selectmen DANIELTUCKER (Termexpires 1995) JOHN L. WEDICK,JR. (Termexpires 1996) RAYMOND BUSHWAY (Termexpires 1997) Secretary - Board of Selectmen CINDY HOLMES Town Clerk Treasurer BRENDA DARLING(1995) TERI-ANN BROWN (1995) Tax Collector Moderator CLAUDIA BROWN(1995) ALISTAIR MACBAIN(1996) Constable Road Agent HOWARD E. SANBORN (1995) GEORGE TUCKER, III(1995) Fire Chief and Forest Fire Warden HOWARD SANBORN E. Health Officer OverseerofWelfare HOWARD SANBORN CHERYLSARGENT E. Trustees ofthe Trust Funds LESLIE DREIER(RESIGNED) TEDWILKINSON (1995) ROBERTPEARSON (1997) Supervisors ofthe Checklist JUDYGAGNE (Termexpires 1996) ANN SYKES (Term expires 1998) LORNA RAY (Term expires2000) Librarian MURIEL BROWN Library Trustees RUSSELLR. BONNEVIE (1997) RUTH D. MILLER (1996) MAXINE JACKSON (1997) ELIZABETH HARRINGTON (1995) NANCY STEVENSON (1997) PAULINE KEACH (1995) MELANIE HARDING (1996) BETTYTATTERSALL (1995) BARBARA MELLOR L. (1996) Cemetery Committee Revolving Loan Committee FLORENCE DEDERICK LEN REED ERNEST FERLAND PETERTHOMA DANIELTUCKER TOM HEPNER RICHARD ROBIE Recreation Committee Conservation Commission RONNIE LYSTER TONYA TELLMAN (6/97) MIKE MISCIO CINDY WOOD(6/97) LEN REED ERNEST MacMILLAN (6/97) NICOLE CALTON (8/95) Bretzfelder Park Committee JOHN STEVENSON OLIVERUNDERHILL HAROLD BROWN ELLEN PRITHAM ELEANORSTEPHENSON NIGELMANLEY FLORENCE DEDERICK DAVID WOOD TONYATELLMAN ELIZABETH WARD Secretary - Planning/ Zoning Boards CHERYLSARGENT Planning Board SARAH MIKE (CHAIRMAN)(6/96) RAY BUSHWAY(3/97) TEDWILKINSON DAVIDWOOD (3/95) (6/95) STEVE HUNTINGTON JOHN KIMBALL (6/96) (6/97) ROD HAYWOOD (6/97) Zoning Board TED WILKINSON(Chairman)(3/95) RICHARD VIRDONE (10/95) JUDYWALLACE GEORGE ENNIS (3/95) LESLIE WARREN (3/95) JOHN KELLER(Alt6/96) RESULTS OF THE 1994 WARRANT Moderator, Alistair D. MacBain, declared the polls open at 9:04 a.m. at the Town Building on Tuesday, the 8th day of March, 1994. It was moved by Lorna Ray and seconded by Judy Gagne to proceed to vote by ballot on Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 14, 15, and 16 and delay the reading and action ofthe other Articles in the Warrantuntil the eveningsession. The motion carried. At6:00 p.m. the Moderatordeclaredthepollsclosedand theballotscounted. Moderator MacBain called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. at the Bethlehem Elementary School Auditorium. Moderator MacBain explained where the fire exits were, where the bake sale was located, and instructed non-voters to please sit in the balcony. He mentioned the Town Report and remembered Dave Hard, whose picture is on the cover, and that there is a green insert page that corrects an omission of $160,000 under the heading of "Summary -All PropertyTax Tobe Raised"thatisnotprintedononeofthebluepages. Dick Robie made a motion to go through Articles 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23 first. John Miller seconded. Moderator MacBain explained this was due to the fact that the people who were counting the ballots would like to be able to vote on the money issues at the Town Meeting and that going to these housekeeping Articles first would produce that result. No discussion. Thevote: Aye: All No: None ARTICLE 17 Shall the Town accept the provisions of RSA 202-A:4-c providing that any townatanannualmeetingmayadoptanarticleauthorizingindefinitely,untilspecificrescission ofsuch authority, the public LibraryTrustee toapply for, acceptand expend, withoutfurther action bythe Town Meeting, unanticipated money from astate, federal orother governmental unitoraprivatesourcewhich becomesavailableduringthefiscalyear. Motion made byJohn Wedick Time: 7:10 p.m. Seconded by Paul Lister Mrs. Starr asked what this article is trying to achieve. Selectman Wedick explained that this was one of several articles here that we vote on year after year. One thing common to all articles that we are going to be discussing, 17, 19, etc., is that this year the State of NH Legislature has overhauled state law concerning Town Meeting, so that if the language "indefinitely,untilspecificrescissionofsuchauthority"wasaddedtothese"boilerplatearticles" thatthiswould bethelasttimethisarticlehadtobeonthewarrant. John Kimball -asked aboutadollarlimit. Leslie Dreier-questioned theadoptionoftheRSAversustheArticle. SelectmanTuckersaidanymoniesgiventothelibraryarethesoleresponsibilityofthelibrary. TheVote: Aye: Majority No: About3 ARTICLE 19 Shall the Town accept the provisions of RSA 31:95-b providing that any townatanannualmeetingmayadoptanarticleauthorizingindefinitely,untilspecificrescission of such authority, the Selectmen to apply for, accept and expend, without further action by the Town Meeting, unanticipated money from a state, federal, or other governmental unit oraprivatesourcewhich becomesavailableduringthefiscalyear. Motion made by DanTucker Time: 7:15 p.m. Seconded by MickeyWhitcomb ModeratorMacBainexplainedthatwhatthelegislatureistryingtodoisshortenTownMeeting for us. In the past, you had to pass each of these articles. Now the legislature says if you vote on itonce and include the words "indefinitely, until specific rescission ofsuch authority," it does not have to be voted on again next year. You can stop it by a vote at another town meeting. TheVote: Aye: Majority No: Aboutone ARTICLE 20 ToseeiftheTownwillvotetoauthorizeindefinitely,untilspecificrescission of such authority, the Selectmen to sell tax deeded property, as justice may require, after collection of all back taxes, back to the owner of record at the time of the Tax Collector's Deed and to further authorize the Selectmen to sell any other personal property owned by the Town which is no longer used for municipal purposes. In every instance, sale shall be heldbypublic auctionoradvertisedsealed bids. Motion made byJoel Goodell Time: 7:20 p.m. Seconded by David Wood JohnStarrcommentedaboutthe$2millionintaxsaleproperty,andsaidhehopedtheselectmen could get that back into private hands so we can collect taxes on it. Selectman Tucker said theyhaddiscussed an auction inthespring. TheVote: Aye: All No: None ARTICLE 21 Shall the Town accept the provisions of RSA 33:7 providing that any town at an annual meeting may adopt an article authorizing, indefinitely, until specific rescission ofsuch authority, theselectmen to issuetaxanticipation notes. Motion made by John Wedick Time: 7:22 p.m. Seconded by Bill Brown Emily Mattis asked what tax anticipation notes were. Selectman Tucker explained they were loanstoborrow moneyon anticipatedtax income. TheVote: Aye: Majority No: 1 ARTICLE 22 To see ifthe Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to accept, on behalf of the Town, gifts, legacies, and devises made to the Town in trust for any public purpose, aspermittedby RSA 31:19. Motion made by Dan Tucker Time: 7:25 p.m. Seconded by MickeyWhitcomb Selectman Wedick made the motion to amend the Article, so we don't have to vote on this every year, by inserting the words "indefinitely, until specific rescission of such authority" aftertheword authorize. DavidWood secondedthemotiontoamend. Voteontheamendment Aye: All No: None Thefollowingpeople madecommentorasked questions: Stan Harrison John Kimball TonyaTellman Bob Coute John Starr A long discussion ensued about the difference between Articles 19, 20, 22, and 23. Selectman Tuckerexplained Article22appearstodealwithtrusts.Article23dealswithpersonalproperty. Selectman Wedick explained money not in trust comes under Article 19. Discussion about the computer bought with funds raised from the Homes Tour and which article that falls under. TheVote: Aye: All No: None ARTICLE 23 ToseeiftheTown willvotetoauthorize indefinitelythe BoardofSelectmen to acceptgifts ofpersonal property which may beoffered to the Town for any public purpose, pursuant to RSA 31:95e. The Selectmen must hold a public hearing before accepting any such gift, and the acceptance shall not bind the Town to raise, appropriate or expend any public funds for the operation, maintenance, repair, or replacement of any such personal property. Motion made byJohn Wedick Time: 7:40 p.m. Seconded by MickeyWhitcomb Thefollowingpeoplemadecommentsorasked questions: Leslie Dreier MargaretGale JudyGagne David Beauchesne Len Malenowski ArthurGigliello Computerissuebroughtupagain.JudyGagneclarifiedthatthecomputerwasagiftofmoney, notagiftofpersonal property. Thevote: Aye: Majority No: One SelectmanWedickmovedthatwetakeupArticle 12.JudyGagnesecondedthemotion. TheVote: Aye: All No: One ARTICLE 12 Tosee iftheTownwillvotetoauthorizethe Selectmentoconveyto Patricia and Hardy Banfield ofthe Adair Inn +/-.07 (7/100) acres ofland directly west ofthe location of the old tourist booth on Route 302 near 1-93 exit 40 as defined by deed description dated 1/4/94byJohn Keller. Motion made byJoel Goodell Time: 7:47p.m. Seconded bySara Mike Selectman Tucker asked Hardy Banfield to explain his situation. Mr. Banfield told the voters that because of the 1-93 beautification requirement, the government won't permit his sign which is on Town land with proper permits. The sign has to be on his contiguous property. Thiswouldallow himtohavehissignonhisown land. TheVote: Aye: All No: None Moderator MacBain made the suggestion to proceed to Article 13. It was noted that the Tax Collector was not there yet (she was counting ballots) and did the Selectmen want to take ashotatit. SelectmanWedicksaidhewouldbuthecould notgiveprecisenumbers. JohnWedick movedandJudyGagneseconded. ARTICLE 13 Tosee iftheTown willvotetoeliminatethe residenttax. Motion madebyJoel Goodell Time: 7:52 p.m. Seconded byPaul Lister 6